2018 NFL Draft: Sam Darnold shows leadership by helping Ronald Jones
Sam Darnold is regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2018 NFL Draft. He showed the leadership traits that define him by helping Ronald Jones.
USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold is beginning to emerge as a favorite for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft. Following a Pro Day that validated the hype, Darnold has surfaced in the Cleveland Browns’ crosshairs.
While some remain skeptical of his abilities on the field, Darnold’s leadership traits continue to be heralded—and, based on recent events, with good reason.
Darnold has earned praise for his accuracy as a passer and his poise in high-pressure situations. One of the questions he faced entering the interview process, however, was a matter of if he could command a locker room—and the answer has been a resounding, “Yes.”
According to Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com, Darnold displayed his true character by dropping everything and showing up for USC teammate Ronald Jones.
"“He gets a call yesterday, and he drops everything else. [Darnold said], ‘Yes, I’ll be there for you, man,’ and gets on an airplane, lands in L.A. this morning, comes over at like 6:30 in the morning and throws for Ronald Jones. I mean, it’s crazy. And everyone’s like, ‘What, Sam?’ No one expected him to be here, and he’s here because he said, ‘Hey, man. My teammate called. He needed me.’ So he came. That’s unbelievable.”"
Whether or not you believe Darnold has the talent to be a franchise quarterback, he’s the type of leader whom a locker room can rally around.
Darnold finished his two-year playing career at USC with 7,229 passing yards, 57 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions. He was 20-4 as a starter and led the Trojans to an iconic 52-49 victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2017 Rose Bowl.
While it’s bigger than numbers and individual games, his showing against Penn State was a firm display of his leadership and clutch heroics.
USC’s defense struggled to contain Saquon Barkley and allowed four passing touchdowns, but Darnold rallied the troops and posted 473 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns.
That includes the game-tying touchdown with 1:20 remaining in the fourth quarter that capped off a 15-point comeback.
The issue in 2017 was that Darnold’s interception count increased and his signature moments were few and far between. What his sacrifice for Jones displayed, however, is that he’s a leader for his team both on and off the field.
Darnold could have easily informed Jones that he couldn’t make it for a 6:30 a.m. workout in Los Angeles, but instead, he prioritized his teammate’s future and needs.
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Whether or not Sam Darnold pans out as a player, it’s actions like this that can go a long way towards defining his legacy as a good person.